China repeats gas field exploration is within its rights+

BEIJING, March 7 Kyodo -
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi repeated Saturday Beijing's position that
it is within its right to continue exploration work at a disputed gas field in
the East China Sea that Japan sees as violating the spirit of a bilateral deal.
At a press conference on the sidelines of China's annual parliament session,
Yang also indicated China's opposition to a possible missile launch by North
Korea, urging ''relevant parties'' to do more for stability on the Korean
Peninsula.
The gas field in question -- known as Tianwaitian in Chinese and Kashi in
Japanese -- is ''located in China's exclusive economic zone, and has nothing to
do with a common understanding'' on the dispute reached with Japan last year,
Yang said.
The bilateral agreement marked a step forward in solving their differences over
China's development of gas fields in the East China Sea, which Japan fears
could siphon off resources that belong to Japan.
According to the deal, Japan will invest in a gas field already operated by China.
The countries also agreed to jointly explore an area that is yet to be
developed and to leave some other areas to further discussion.
Japan has since that time discovered China is continuing exploration work at
the Tianwaitian gas field.
Tokyo sees that as an area that was left for more consultations and has lodged
a complaint.
While Yang said that particular gas field has no links with the June agreement,
he said the deal itself was ''a reflection of an improvement in and development
of bilateral relations.''
Yang also said China and Japan should establish a framework for dealing with
food safety following a case last year in which Chinese-made frozen meat
dumplings made some people sick in Japan.
Investigation of the case is ongoing, he said.
On North Korea, Yang said China is aware of the country's recent announcement
it is getting ready to launch a communication satellite, adding, ''We are
following developments.''
''We believe that maintaining the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula
is in the interest of all parties, and we hope relevant parties will do more
things that are conducive to that,'' he said.
North Korea has said it is ready to put into space a communications satellite,
but other countries suspect it may actually be planning to test-fire a
long-range ballistic missile.
Public comments against North Korea by China, Pyongyang's traditional ally, are
typically restrained.
While Yang said ''relevant parties,'' the comments are believed to be an
expression of Beijing's hope that North Korea would not go ahead with the
launch.
In response to a question about the global economic crisis, Yang said China
''wants to, with the United States and other countries, help each other and
work together to ride out the storm.''
Yang said he plans to visit the United States in the near future as part of
preparations for next month's Group of 20 meeting, which has been called to
find ways to counter the global recession and also regulate the financial
sector.
==Kyodo